Find a Title: Whether the screenwriter is creating a new story or writing a treatment based on an
existing script, the first step is to make sure that the screenplay has a good title. The first contact a
prospective producer has with any script is with the title, so pick one that gives a clear idea of what
genre the screenplay is written in. A good title can predispose a producer or reader to like a screenplay
because it arouses curiosity and suggests the kind of experience that is in store. Great, classic film titles
include It Happened One Night, Psycho, and Die Hard.
A film I recently consulted on is called And Then Came Love. This is a good title because it describes
the story and the style, or genre, it’s written in—a light, romantic comedy. The title also suggests the
excellent plot twist—that the parents find love after creating the child.
Of course, the title does not determine whether or not the screenplay is good, but it can be a great
marketing tool. If you want a producer to read your script, pick a title that grabs people’s attention and
matches your story.
Write a Logline: The second step is to write a logline. Preparing one for your screenplay is a basic
marketing tool that I have repurposed for developing treatments. Similar to the summaries given in TV
Guide, logline writing is a technique for boiling down a plotline to its essence. It’s not easy either—it
has been described as trying to “vomit into a thimble.”
Here’s the logline for the film: And Then Came Love is a character-driven romantic comedy about a
high-powered Manhattan single mom who opens Pandora’s box when she seeks out the anonymous
sperm-donor father of her young son.
Write a Synopsis: The third step is to write a synopsis. A synopsis is a brief summary of the plot.
Begin by expanding your logline into a three-act story. I find that a good technique is to start with the
ending.
For example, let’s work with The Silence of the Lambs: In Act Three, Clarice Starling catches the killer
and saves the intended victim.
Next, break the story down into three acts and start at the beginning.
For example, Act One: While still a cadet at the FBI, Clarice is asked to help on a case. She’s eager to
catch the killer and interviews Hannibal Lecter, who gives her a clue.
Act Two: With Lecter’s help, Clarice is able to overcome many obstacles and finds the identity of the
killer.
Act Three: Clarice confronts the killer, saves his intended victim, and atones for the death of the lamb.
The scriptwriter should follow this breakdown for his or her story and then expand it into a synopsis.
Follow the example below of the synopsis for And Then Came Love:
Julie (mid-40s), a successful Manhattan reporter- turned-columnist believes she has it all—a great job,
a rent-controlled apartment, a boyfriend, and, best of all, an adorable six-year-old son named Jake,
whom she conceived via an anonymous sperm donor. Her perfect world, however, is rocked when she’s
called in for an emergency parent-teacher conference and learns that her son has been acting up,
needs to be “tested,” and is on the brink of expulsion. Overwhelmed, Julie instinctively blames
herself ... it’s easy to do since her mother has made her feel inadequate for not being a stay-at-home
mom. Julie, however, will not concede that her mother could be right, so she places genetic blame on
Jake’s anonymous father. Through a private investigator, Julie learns the identity of the donor and
meets him—his name is Paul, a struggling actor and law-school dropout. Julie has neither the
intention nor the desire to reveal her identity to him; she simply wants to check her sources, get the
facts, and move on. A child psychiatrist tells Julie that Jake does not appear to have ADHD, but that he
could benefit from a “father figure” in his life. Julie’s boyfriend, a charismatic photojournalist, is up
for the challenge and proposes. Julie believes her life is back on course until Paul, the donor, shows